[Jimbuna]

The former Manchester City striker and chairman Francis Lee has died at the age of 79 after a long battle with cancer, the Premier League club have announced.

Lee became a legend at Maine Road, where spent eight years as a player, joining City from hometown club Bolton Wanderers in 1967 for a club record £60,000. During his time at City, he won the First Division, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup, scoring 148 goals in 330 appearances for the club, before ending his career at Derby County where he won another league title.

Lee was a barrel-chested striker known for his ruthless shot and precision from the penalty spot, once scoring 15 spot-kicks in a single season. A Lee penalty sealed City’s 1970 European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph over the Polish side Gornik Zabrze.

In addition to club honours, Lee won 27 caps for England, all while a City player, scoring 10 goals in the process and represent his country at the Mexico World Cup in 1970.

R I P Sir